Alliance Communities spokesperson Kellie Armstrong MLA has emphasised the critical need for cross-departmental collaboration among the Ministers for Finance, Infrastructure, and Communities to ensure capital funding for new build social homes is used most effectively.

Her call comes after the announcement of an additional £9 million allocated in the June monitoring round, specifically aimed at constructing more new social homes across Northern Ireland.

Ms Armstrong stated: "Everyone in our society deserves a safe, stable, and affordable place to live, and far too many have been left languishing on social housing waiting lists for far too long."

She highlighted the potential impact of the new funding: "The original budget provided enough to fulfil half of the housing supply strategy targets in 2025/2026. With this additional money we have a chance to catch up and deliver the full 2,000 homes needed." While welcoming the funding, Ms Armstrong cautioned that its effective delivery hinges on overcoming existing barriers. "Whilst the allocation of this funding is welcome progress, actually delivering the new homes that are needed is still dependent, however, on overcoming a number of barriers that have yet to be properly addressed. This including, most prominently, the capacity of our wastewater system to cope with the additional homes and the need for drastic reform in that area."

The Alliance MLA also called for a review of the planning process, noting significant delays. "There also needs to be a review of how planning is progressed, as it can currently be up to two years after money has been allocated before a shovel breaks ground."

With 48,000 people currently on a waiting list for social housing, Ms Armstrong stressed the urgency of the situation. "With 48,000 people currently sitting on a waiting list for a social home, addressing the housing crisis must be of paramount importance for the Executive. We now need to see the Ministers for Finance, Infrastructure and Communities working together and synchronising their actions to ensure this public money is best utilised to deliver the new houses that are so desperately needed."